Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-12-01

LWO IlllcS Oh.
Ram Bex, our shikarri, had given
notice to all the natives around that if
the leopard appeared and carried off
any thing information was to be sent
to our camp before any pursuit was
made. One evening we were at our
tent door after dinner, smoking. when
we observed on the other side of the
river a Ghoorkha coming down the hills
at great speed At the river bank he
inflated sheepskin which he carried,
and crossed the rapid stream on it
just as we see on their wall carving
at the Assyrians of old did-being
carried down about quarter of mile
by the current. On landing he was
met by Ram Bex. who had run GU on
seeing him approach. They walked
toward us, the Ghoorkha gesticulating
violently, and we heard the following
story:
1.-The Ghoorkha lived in hut about
mile from our camp. higher up the
river. and only hundred yards from
the water. He had been out for the
day on his duty, which was that of
government runner. leaving at home
his wife, his baby in arms. and little
girl about six years old. The wife had
gone to the stream for water, leaving
the baby at the hut door. The little
girl had disappeared. and had without
doubt been carried off by the leopard.
The Ghoorkha found its footm arks on
soft bit of ground, and fastened to us
without attempting \ pursuit in the
dense jungle. Ram Bex decided that
it was too late to start that night,
but asked us to be ready an hour be-
tore daylight In the meantime he
sent to the next village for twenty
coolies. who were engaged as beaters
at eight cents head. On turning out
in the starlight next morning saw
that our followers and heaters had
each got some instrument for making
noise. There were tin kettles, tom
toms. bells and an old matchbox or
two. and my two friends crossed the
river OH plank dashed across two in
tlated buffalo skins. which kept
our guns and powder high out
of water. The heaters came over
in all sorts of ways, some swimming.
some clinging to inflated sheepskins.
When we reached the Ghoorkha's hut,
the whole of our heaters were ex-
tended in line. l standing in the
middle. at the spot where the Ghoor-
kha had found traces of the leopard.
The poor Ghoorkha himself, and Ram
Bex. leading Brinjarry dog in
string, were with me. each of them
carrying spade. At given signal
the whole line started. The heaters
yelled. whistled, rang bells and beat
tom toms. making noise enough to
drive away every leopard within
twelve miles. The dog kept steadily
to the scent, but our progress at
times was very slow through the
dense bamboo jungle.
':After proceeding about mile the
dog became very eager, dashed for
ward. and was not easily held in. In
fifty more yards we came to the place
where the brute had been supping.
The mangled remains of the little
girl lay about, only half eaten. and
the ogre must have been scared by
our noise. Without losing nom ent
the Ghoorkha and Ram Bcx set to
work and dug a trench under a tree
to leeward of the child's remains,
piling up some branches between
them and the trench. Into this we
jumped. The Ghoorkha departed
with his dog in the direction taken by
the rest of the party. who kept up the
same discordant din as they moved
away.
Ram Bex now t1ld me that the
leopard would think from the passing
away of the noise that the whole party
had gone on. and would be sure to re-
turn in an hour or two to 60 on with
his interrupted feast. We must be
quiet, for the brute was very cunning.
and the slightest sound or smell would
send him off and destroy our chance of
getting shot at him. After waiting
IN hour pulled out my, cigar case.
but the shikarri forbade smoking by
energetic gestures, neither of us speak
ing. l had large double-barrel
smooth bore No. IL. loaded with slugs.
at full cock in my hand. Ram Bex
had my breech-loading rifle with
large conical shell in it. Ia addition
to these we had each Ghoorkha
kookrie and revolver. 1t was now nine
in the morning The noise of our
party had died away over the hills for
an hour or more. l remember rs if it
were yesterday how l had my eyes
fixed on the movements of a regiment
of white ants. who were piling them
selves over tho bloody fragments
of the poor child that lay about ten
yards from me. Suddenly Ram Bex
put one finger on my lips. both as
sign to lookout and keep still. My
fingers sought the triggers, and my
eyes were strained in every direction.
l could see nothing until, in about two
minutes. could discern that the grass
waved, and the next instant, with a
tread of velvet the leopard glided in
front of me. The suddenness of his
appearance took my breath away for
= few seconds. but recovering myself.
l raised my gun to the shoulder. and
in doing this snapped off little twig
from branch of the brushwood we
had piled in front of as. The leopard
turned his face full on me. Thinking
that he would jump off l pulled off at
his chest letting oil, in my nervous
ness, both barrels. He sprang into